Tent



M. G. CUNNINGHAM. TENT. APPLICATION FILED APR. 2;, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

M. e. CUNNINGHAM.

TENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. 1920.

a SHEETS-SHEET '2.

Fig.2.

M. G. CUNNlNGHAM. TENT. APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, L920.

1 7 1 Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

3 SHEETS -SHEET 3.

ArTa/QWEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

Application filed April 21, 1920. Serial No. 375,529.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN G. CUNNING- HAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and resident of Wheeling, county of Ohio, and Stateof West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTents, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to tents, and more particularly to acamping outfit for automobile tourists.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple andconvenient form of tent structure designed for association with anautomobile and adapted for the accommodation of camping motorists ortourists.

A further object is to provide a..camping outfit of the charactermentioned which may be readily disassembled and folded into small andcompact form for convenient transportation and which may be set up andtaken down with a minimum of effort.

A still further object is to provide a tent which is designed to be usedin conjunction with an automobile, which is so constructed that theautomobile may be removed and replaced with respect thereto' withoutderangement thereof, and which, when the automobile is removed,constitutes a complete housing or enclosure.

- With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in thefeatures of con struction, arrangement of parts and combinations ofelements which will hereinafter be fully described, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is perspective view ofthe tent showing the position of the same with resspect to theassociated automobile;

Figure 2 is a front view of the same in linear perspective with thefront curtains removed;

Figure 3 is a rear view of an automobile with the tent in its properposition relative thereto;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section of the means for attaching thecanopy to the center pole; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse section through one of the caves ofthe tent.

Referring-to said drawings, 1 indicates the sides and 2 the ends of arectangular frame, preferably composed of gas pipe. Said frame issupported by upright posts 3 and 4, the posts 3 being attached to saidframe at the front corners of the latter, while the posts 4 are attachedto the end members 2 of the frame at a spaced distance from the rearcorners of the latter.

Mounted upon the frame constituted, as aforesaid, by the side and endmembers 1 and 2 are the lateral edge portions of a canvas canopy 5 ofpyramidal form which is supported at its apex by a center pole 6 whichis preferably composed of telescoping pipe sections, as shown. Said edgeportions of the canopy are formed with longitudinally extending pockets7 designed for the reception of said frame members, which latter aredetachable each from the others, threaded elbow couplings 8 beingprovided for connecting said members. As herein shown, said pockets 7are formed at a spaced dlstance inward with respect to the edges of thecanopy and on the under side of the latter to provide for the formationof a drop border 9 which is an integral part of said canopy, the mainpurpose of this con struction being to avoid the provision of the seamwhich would be required were the drop border composed of a separatepiece of material. Each of said pockets is formed by sewing to thecanopy the opposite lateral edges of a canvas strip 10, one row ofstitching serving to attach the upper edge portion of said strip to thecanopy proper and another row to attach the lower edge portion of thestrip to the drop border, as shown in Fig. 5.

Attached to the canopy, or to each of the pocket-forming strips 10thereof, is the upper edge portion of a longitudinally extending canvasstrip 11 which constitutes a curtain support and which has less depththan that of the drop border 9. Each of the curtain-supporting strips 11carries a series or row ofattaching buttons 12, or equivalent devices,by means of which are removably attached the upper edges of curtains 13whereby a room-like enclosure is constituted.

' As is most clearly shownin Fig. 3, and as hereinbefore indicated," theframe constituted by the side and end members 1 and2 projects rearward aconsiderable distance beyond the positions of the supporting posts 4:.The purpose of this arrangement is to make provision for disposing anautomobile 14 across the rear side of the tent with its top directlyunderlying the rearmost ofthe indicated, it serves to substantiallyclose the rpogsaat the rear-side of the frame rear side of the tent andmay be utilized as a part of the enclosure, it being only necessary toclose the curtains of the automobile at the side opposite the tent toeffectually shut in the interior of the car. A curtain 16 shaped tosubstantially conform to the space beneath the inner running board 17and rear fender 18 and suitably attached, as by buttons 19, in pendentrelation to said parts serves to complete the enclosure; Then the car ispositioned as indicated, the tent our tain 13 located on the rear sideof'the tent may be thrown across the top. of the car, as shown in Fig.3.

As is apparent, when it is desired to remove the car without disturbingthe tent, the'rear curtain 13 is thrown back off the top of the car andthe curtain 16 is detached whereupon the car may be driven away and saidcurtain dropped to close the rear side of the tent. Obviously,'the workof removingand of replacing the car as occasion requires involves butslight effort and a minimum expenditure of time. i

A suitable arrangement of guy ropes 20 maintains the tent in position.

The center pole 6 has its upper end threaded and carries a flat plate 21at the base of the threaded portion. Said plate constitutes a supportupon which the apex pprtion of the canopy 5 rests, said portion ingpenetrated by said threaded end of the pole. For securing said canopy inplace ,with respect to said pole in such manner as to ard against unduewear thereof, a cap 22 filivinga flat under face is screwed upon saidthreaded end into binding relation to the portion of the canopy whichrests upon lipid plate 21, as is most clearly shown in r i .4. r at isclaimed is-- V 1. A tent structure for association with an automobilcomprisin a rectangular frame composed of detachably connected side andend members, posts disposed in supporting relation to said frame, acanopy ofipyramidal form having its edge portions attached to saidframe, a center pole in supporting relation to the center of saidcanopy, and ndent curtains suspended from said frame and an enclosure,the su porting thing atetl tie-the end members at a considerable:Ifiiatlncethe rear side inemberf to per- -mit -mn automobile tozoccupya lengthwise partially underlying the latter when r the cll rtwinaat therear side is elevated.

Q tent structure for association with an autpmobile, comprising arectangular frame, asttppommg posts at the-two front ecrners f saidframe, supporting posts for said frame disposed at a spaced distanceforward of the rear corners thereof so that an automobile may occupy alengthwise position partially underlying the rear portion of said frame,a canopy disposed over said frame, and curtains attached to each sideand end of said frame, the curtain attached to the rear end of'saidframe being designed to be disposed either over the top of an underlyingautomobile which closes the rear end of the tent or in vertical closingrelation to saidend when the automobile is absent;

3.- A tent structure for association with an automobile,'comprising arectangular frame, supporting posts at the two front corners of saidframe, supporting posts for said frame disposed at a spaced distanceforward of the rear corners thereof so that an automobile may occupy alengthwise position partially underlying the rear portion of saidframe,a cano y dlSP'OSbd over said frame, curtains attac ed to each side andend of said frame the curtain attached to the rear end of said framebeing designed to be disposed either over the 'top of an underlyingautomobile V which closes the rear end of the tent or in 7 verticalclosing relation to said end whenlike automobile is absent,and' acurtain adapted to be fastened'to the "running board and rear fender ofsuch automobile for more tively closing the rear end of said tent; I

t A tent structure for association with an automobile, comprisin a recta:lar frame composed of detachab y connecte side and end members,posts'disposed in supporting relation tosaid frame, a canopy of portscomprising strips of fabric twhichhaye' their upper edges attached tosaid canopy adjacent to said pockets, and which are of less'depth thansaid drop border, and means:

carried by said curtain for detachably connecting said curtains tothelatlni';

5. A tent structure for association with an automobile,- comprising ahorizontally posed frame, supportsrfor saidframe sllid supportsibeing ofsuch height and in such manner that; std-automobile m be? placed in apositionunderlying a politics of said frame, a canopy; isurmounting saidframe, and pendent curtains supported by h exp'osed's des of said.easement said curtains and said automobile constitute a completeenclosure.

6. A tent structure for association with an automobile, comprising arectangular frame composed of detachably connected side and end members,posts disposed in supporting relation to said frame at the front cornersthereof, posts disposed in supporting relation to the side members ofsaid frame forward of the rear corners thereof, a canopy of pyramidalform having its edge portions attached to said frame, said edge portionshaving longitudinal pockets formed therein for the reception of saidmembers, said pockets being located inward with respect to the lateraledges of said canopy so as to provide a drop border and being formed byattaching to the under side of said canopy the opposite lateral edges ofhorizontally extending strips of fabric, a telescopic center polesupporting said canopy, pendent curtains forming the side and end wallsof an enclosure, supports for said curtains located inward with respectto the drop border, said curtain supports comprising strips of fabricwhich have their upper edges attached to said canopy adjacent to saidpockets and which are of less depth than said drop border, means carriedby said curtain supports for detachably connecting said curtains to thelatter, the rear end of the tent being closable by the introduction ofan automobile in a position closely adjacent to the sidesupporting postsand partially underlying the rear end of said frame, and a curtain designed to have its upper edge attached to the running board and rearfender of said automobile for more effectively closing the rear end ofsaid tent when said automobile is in position.

In testimon whereof, I afiix my signature in presence 0 two subscrihinwitnesses.

MARTIN G. GUN INGHAM. Witnesses:

C. A. Fmno, H; E. DUNLAP.

